Coupler for electric musical instruments.



M. L. SEVERY &-G. B. SINCLAIR. COUPLER FOR ELECTRIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

' APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1912.

1,191,482. Patented July 18,1916.

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" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MEL IN L. SEVERY, 0E ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, MASSACHUSETTS, AND GEORGE B. SINCLAIR, OF GEORGETOWN, MAINE, ASSIGNORS To CHORALCELO COMPANY, OF ,BOSTQN, MASSACHUSE TS, A CORPORATION 0E MAINE.

COUPLER FOR ELETRIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Toall whom it may concern:

' Be it known that we, MELVIN L. S vEnY, of Arlington Heights, in the county of Mid- I have invented certain new and useful Improvements in- Couplers for Electric Musical Instruments, of which the following is a full and exact description. g

This invention pertains primarily to the type of electric musical instruments wherein magnetically attractive sonorous bodles, as strings and bars, are vibrated by means of electrolnagnets having suitably timed electric pulsations delivered thereto.

It is'obvious that this instr1 1ment lends itself readily to mechanical manlpulatlon by means of traveling perforated mus1c rolls,

and the like, as found in the mechanical players at present on the market, most of which operate to press the keys of the ordinary keyboard. Any means, however, of opening and closing the appropriate electrical circuits, whether through the operation of the keys of the keyboard 'or otherwise, would come well within the scope of our invention, and whenever, therefore, we herein refer to keys, we wish to be understood to include within that term any mechanism operating to produce the results for which said keys are designed, as it is manifest .that the various circuits of this instrument could be opened and closed mechanically, either with or without the use of a keyboard. We do not, therefore, limit ourselves in the specification and claims to an instrument operated only by the usual pressure of the keys of a keyboard, but desire to include any means by which tllis instrument may be operated by a mechanical or human player.

Among the objects of this invention are, first, the construction of a simplified electrically operated note coupler for instruments of the kind above set forth, as well as for instruments of other types; second, the construction of means for automatically withdrawing the dampers from several sonorous bodies of like name when any one thereof is vibrated, and of other details of construction hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings forming part of this specification,'Figure 1 is a perspective diagralm lnatic view of parts of an electric musical Specification of Letters I Patent.

Patented July 18, 19,16.

, Application filed July 20, 1912. Serial No. 710,637.

instrument embodying our improvements. Fig. 2 is a front View of a part of the coupler bar and the action contacts. Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line XX in Fig. 2.

In said drawings and in the following description, we set forth our invention as specifically adapted forcoupling octaves, but it is evidently equally applicable for coupling notes of any desired musical interval.

The reference numeral 1 designates one of the sonorous bodies, the same being either a single string, or a group of two or three strings tunedin unison in the usual man,- ner. Each string or group of strings is vibrated by means of an electromagnet 2, to which properly timed electric pulsations are delivered by a make-and-break device consisting of disks or rings 3 and cooperating brushes 4, receiving current from a suitable source 5. Said disks or rings having suits ably disposed teeth and insulation, and being rotated with absolute uniformity, the pulsations thereby delivered to the associated electromagnets will cause the vibration of the strings 1, whenever the circuits are closed, either by the depression of the keys or in other ways.

Preferably each key 6 isconnected with a brush 7 through a sticker 9 and lever extension 10, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the depression of the outer extremity of the key elevates its inner end, and with it the sticker, lever extension and brush; said brush being thereby caused to passfrom the dead surface 11 of the contact rail to the contacts above the same. \Vhen a brush is resting against said dead surface 11, no current can pass and the associated string 1' is dumb.

Whena brush reaches the first contact 12,

current passes from the source 5 to a wire 13 common to all the brushes, and thence to the brush referred to, then throughsaid" contact 12, resistance. 1-1 and suitable connection to the T-shaped contact 15, from the latter through the wire 16 to the associated electromagnet 2, from the electromagnet through the wire 17 to the brush {1, disk 3, and a connection 19 back to said source; the passage of the current through the makea-nd-break device giving itthe proper pulsatory character. A further elevation of the brush 7 brings it into touch with said T- shaped contact 15 so that the current no longer traverses the resistance l4 but proceeds with full strength to the associated electromagnet, and so causes the vibration of the string more loudly. It is necessary simultaneously with this to remove the ,damper 20 from said string. To do this, each wire 16 is connected by a.wire 21 to an electrolnagnet 22 whose armature 23 is adapted for thus actuating the damper, and said electromagnets 22 are joined by a wire or wires 24 to said source'direct, and hence are not subject to the pulsations delivered to the magnets 2. f

Although we have spoken of the resistance elements 14 as serving to give a primary softer action, yet this is not the most important function performed thereby, inasmuch as the greatest value thereof is the reduction of sparking, both when the current is switched on and when it is switched off, over what it would be did the brush 7 to the T-shaped contact 15.

The note coupling portion of our invention is constructed as follows: A short distance above the cont-act rail 25 (see Fig. 2) is the coupler rail 26 connected therewith by two or three leaf springs 27, one end of each spring being rigidly fastened to thecontact rail, and the other end to the coupler bar;

said springs being adapted for resiliently holding said bar in its lower position. Felt pads 29'serve. to prevent jar when said coupler bar isdropped. This coupler bar car-.

ries a number of brushes 30 arranged in pairs, the lower ends of each pair being normally in touch with the upper part of the T-contact 15 of one of the notes. Immediately above each contact 15 are two contacts 31 insulated from each other and from the contact 15, but one wired to a contact 15 i an octave above, the other to a contact 15 an octave below. By having the contacts 31 out of touch with each other, when a brush 7 is brought into touch with the contact 15 while the coupler bar, or rail 26 is in its elevated position, current will pass to brushes 30 an octave above and an octave below. The circuits of the three coupled notes will therefore be as follows: from the source 5 V to the operated brush 7 and thence through the contact 15, wire 16, electromagnet 2, wire 17, make-and-break devices 4, 3 and wire 19 back to, said source, as already described.

Simultaneously therewith, the current will' pass from said brush 7, through the contacts 32, wires 33, brushes 30, contacts 31, wires34 to contacts 15 an octave below and an octave above, thence through wires 16 to the associated electromagnets 2, and back to the source in the same way as just described. The coupled current cannot pass farther than an octave each way because the brushes tave below the operated key, and the consepass direct quent vibration of the three sonorous bodies, non-pulsatory current will pass to" the three associated electro-magnets 22 in the manner already described, and their dampers will be withdrawn from the said three sonorous bodies. When the coupler rail 26 is per:

mitted to return to its seats 29, the brushes eating rod 39 pressed up against an arm 40 rigid with said shaft, saidurail is readily raised and lowered at will.

What we claim as our invention and for i which we desire to wit:

1. In combination with a plurality of sonorous bodies tuned in musical relation to one another, electromagnets for causing vibration of said bodies; dampers for said bodies; electromagnets for withdrawing said dampers; electrical means, including a circuit-closer, for independently energizing the electromagnets associated with each sonorous body' and with the damper thereof, pulsation-producing devices, one in circuit with each circuit-closer, for imparting timed electric pulsations to the vibration-producing magnets; and electrical connections between the actuating device of a selected body and. of other sonorous bodies bearin predetermined musical relation thereto, for causing the simultaneous retraction of the several dampers and energizing of the several magnets of the selected and related sonorous bodies through the action of the single selected actuating device.

2. The combination with tuned sonorous. bodies and electromagnetic means for their actuation, of pulsation-producing devices Letters Patent is as follows,

for imparting timed electric pulsations to said magnets; dampers for the respective bodies; electrically-operated means for Withdrawing the respective dampers; and means common to the actuating devices of a selected sonorous body and of another sonorous body bearing predetermined musical relation thereto, and common to their damperwithdrawing means, whereby the closing of the energizing circuit of the magnets of a selected sonorous body effects the simul- 'taneous closing of the energizing circuit of v the related sonorous body and of its damper withdrawing devices.

3.-The combination with tuned sonorous bodies and electromagnetic means for independently actuating the same, of pulsationproducing devices for imparting'timed electric pulsations to said means; dampers for the respective bodies; electrically operated means for withdrawing said dampers from including a circuit closer for each; pulsationproducing devices, one in circuit with each circuit-closer, for imparting timed electric pulsations to said actuating-means; an electrically-operated damper mechanism for causing the actuation of the dampers of a limited number of bodies bearing a predetermined musical relationship to one another, when a selected body is sounded; and means for simultaneously delivering current to the damper mechanisms of the several bodies sounded when the circuit closer of the actuating device of the selected body is moved to closed position.

5. The combination with tuned sonorous bodies, of means for their actuation comprising an electromagnet, an electric circuit and circuit-closer for each sonorous body; pulsation-producing devices, one in circuit with each circuit-closer, for imparting timed-electric pulsations to said magnets; a damper for each of said bodies an electromagnet for each damper serving, when energized, to withdraw the same, each damper magnet being connected in parallel to the actuating magnet of the body with which such damper is associated; and means for connecting in circuit the actuating electromagnets of a plurality of the sonorous bodies bearing predetermined musical relation to one another, whereby the closing of the circuit of a single selected sonorous body effects the closing of the circuits of the actuating and damper magnets of such related bodies.

6. A musical instrument comprising tuned sonorous bodies; electromagnets for vibrating said bodies; means for delivering correctly timed electric impulses to said electromagnets; keys controlling said means;

dampers for the sonorous bodies; electromagnets for withdrawing said dampers; and means operative at Wlll for causing each key upon its'depression so to distribute the current as to sound not only the note normally associated with it but also that an octave away, and to withdraw the dampers of both note-producing bodies.

7 A musical instrument comprising tuned sonorous bodies; electromagnets for vibrating said bodies; means for delivering correctly timed electric impulses to said electromagnets; keys controlling said means;

dampers for the sonorous bodies; electromagnets for vvithdrawln said dampers; and

- means operative at will or causing each key upon its depression so to distribute the cur rent as to sound not only the sonorous body usually associated with it but also that an octave above and that an octave below, and to withdraw the dampers of the several bodies sounded. i

8. A musical instrument comprising tuned sonorous bodies; 'electromagnets for vibrating said bodies; means, including circuits, for delivering correctly timed electric impulses to said electromagnets; dampers for said bodies; electromagnets for withdrawing said dampers; keys controlling the means for delivering timed electric impulses to the ,electromagnets of the sonorous bodies and of their dampers; and a single coupler rail for switching into the circuit of any depressed key the circuit of an electromagnet vibrating a sonorous body an octave higher. and also that of a sonorous body an octave lower than the body associated with such depressed key, together with the electromagnets of the dampers associated with the several sonorous bodies sounded.

9. A musical instrument, comprising tuned sonorous bodies, electromagnets for their vibration, means including keys, contacts and brushes for delivering timed electric impulses to said electromagnets, each key controlling a brush movable into engagement with threecontacts, one of said 130 contacts being connected to the electromagnet actuating the sonorous bodynormally associated with said key, and each one of the other two said contacts being connected with a movable brush, each said brush being 10! adapted to be putinto engagement with a contact, the Contact for one of said brushes being in electrical connection with the magnet actuating the sonorous body an octave above that normally associated with said key, and the contact for the other brush being in electrical connection with the electromagnet actuating the sonorous body an octave below that normally associated with said key, and means for bringing said key 118 controlled brush and the pair of brushes as sociated therewith into direct electrical connection' with each other and with the afores'aid contact connected to the magnet actuating the sonorous body normally associated 120 with said key.

10. A musical instrument, comprising tuned sonorous bodies, electromagnets for their vibration, means including keys, contacts and brushes for delivering timed electric impulses to said electromagnets, each key controlling a brush movable into engagement with three contacts, one of said contacts being connected to the electromagnet actuating the sonorous body normally asso- 1S.

ciated with said key, and each of the other two said contacts being connected with a. movable brush, each said brush being adapt- .edto be put into engagement with a contact, the contact for one of said brushes being in electrical connection with the magnet actuating the sonorous body an octave above that normally associated with said key, and the contact for the other brush being in electrical connection with the electromagnet actuating the sonorous body an octave below that normally associated with said key, and means operative at will for putting said contacts respectively electrically connected to the electromagnet associated with "the sonorous body an octave above and to the electromagnet associated with the sonorous body an octave below the sonorous body normally associated with said key out of touch with their associated contacting brushes.

11. A musical instrument, comprising tuned sonorous bodies, electromagnets for their vibration, means including keys, contacts and brushes for delivering timed electric impulses to a plurality of said electromagnets simultaneously upon the operation of a single key, each keyicontrolling a brush movable into engagement with three contacts, one of said contacts being connected to the electromagnet actuating the sonorous body normally associated with said key and each one of the other two said contacts being connected witha movable brush, each said brush being adapted to be put into engagement with a contact, the contact for one of said brushes being in electrical connection with the magnet actuating the sonorous body .an octave above that normally associated with said key, and the contact for the other brush being in electrical connection with the electromagnet actuating the sonorous body an octave below that normally associated with said key, and means for bringing said key-controlled brush and the pair of brushes associated therewith into direct electrical connection with each other and with the aforesaid contact connected to the magnet actuating the sonorous body normally associated with said key.

12. A musical instrument, comprising tuned sonorous bodies, electromagnets for their vibration, and means including keys, contacts and brushes for delivering timed electric-impulses to .a plurality of said electromagnets simultaneously upon the operation of'a single key, the contacts associated with each of said keys being five in number, three of which contacts are in a group adapted to be engaged by the brush'controlled by its key, one contact in this group being T- shaped with the other two of the group located beneath its branches but out of circuit therewith, the othertwo contacts of said five being positioned immediately above the T- two contacts of each five, said bar having means for raising it to put its brushes into touch with the last-mentioned two said contacts.

13. A musical instrument comprising tuned sonorous bodies; electromagnets for their vibration; dampers for said bodies;

electromagnets for withdrawing said dampers; and means including keys, contacts and brushes, for delivering timed electric impulses to three of said electromagnets simultaneously, and for delivering electric current simultaneously to the damper-com trolling magnets upon the operation of a single one: of said keys, the three vibrationefl'ecting electromagnets embracing in each case theelectromagnet associated with said key and the two an octave therefrom.

14. In a musical instrument, the combination of sonorous bodies, electromagnetic means including circuits, for the vibration of said bodies, and means for coupling certain of said circuits comprising a contact rail, a coupler rail parallel therewith, and leaf springs fastened at their ends to said rails, one end of each spring to one rail and the other end to the other rail.

15. In a musical instrument, the combination of sonorous bodies, electromagnetic means including circuits, for the vibration of saidbodies, and means for coupling certain of said circuits comprising a contact rail, a coupler rail parallel therewith, brushes carried by the coupler rail in touch with said contact rail, a rocker shaft, and fingersrigid therewith adapted to raise said coupler bar when the rocker shaft is partially turned.

16. In a musical instrument, the combination of sonorous bodies, electromagnetic means including circuits, for the vibration of said bodies, and means for coupling certain of said circuits comprising a contact rail, a coupler rail parallel therewith, brushes carried by the coupler rail in touch with contacts of said contact rail, a rocker shaft, fingers rigid therewith, and'elbows rigid with the coupler rail engaged by said fingers.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing invention, we have hereunto set our hands this 16th day of July, 1912.

MELVIN L. S'EVERY. GEORGE B. SINCLAIR. Witnesses:

CHARLES W. CROCKER, WILLIAM L. FLINT. 

